Maze

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I found myself lost in Maze, the super cool short created by Choreographer Sophie Laplane and Director/Editor/ Cinematographer Eve McConnachie, while responding to a friend request on FB where I saw it posted and it immediately caught my eye.
Shot in a huge, striking, and empty “Glaswegian” swimming pool and beautifully performed by Madeline Squire and Javier Andreu, two stunning dancers from the Scottish Ballet, the location is used to maximum advantage in terms of the choreography, cinematography, and editing.

Madeline Squire and Javier Andreu discover each other as they explore a labyrinthine derelict Glaswegian swimming pool
Madeline Squire and Javier Andreu discover each other as they explore a labyrinthine derelict Glaswegian swimming pool

The movement is smart, quick, and quirky, if not particularly emotional, but then not everything has to be. And I actually love the fact that it isn’t and instead leaves behind the traditional sort of narrative innuendoes found in duets between a man and a woman. What is favored instead is a keen visual and visceral intelligence that is ultimately about the movement in the space and in the camera. The old swimming pool with its white, red, black and yellow tiled graphics, viewing seats, trim, and hugely high ceiling, is visually amazing and creates a wonderful sense of scale that is used beautifully by the director and choreographer. In fact it’s difficult to tell how much of the really great editing was planned ahead of time on location, and how much was found by the team in post.
Madeline Squire and Javier Andreu move in Maze
Madeline Squire and Javier Andreu move in Maze

The terseness of the movement has a kind of violent undertone to it at times, and topped off with the editing, location, and a wonderful electronic score by British born and Boston based musician John Xela, it almost reminds me of Clockwork Orange (okay, not that violent!).  At six minutes,Maze runs just a little long for my eye, but is still eminently rewarding and beyond well worth viewing. And needless to say, after watching the film, I readily accepted the friend request.
Enjoy!

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